Luke Wayde Stenbak

1967 - 2025

Luke Wayde Stenbak left this Earth all too early and is now embarking on a new adventure. He was born to his mother, Janice May Stenbak, and father, David Lee Roy Stenbak, on Oct. 27, 1967, in Missoula, Montana, raised in Ray, Crosby, Fortuna, Surrey, Sawyer, and Minot, North Dakota, and Phoenix, Arizona, and left this earthly life in Delta Junction, Alaska, on March 9, 2025. He leaves behind many family members and friends.
Luke loved nothing more than to make people feel happy and good about themselves. He loved cracking jokes and being goofy. He loved being with his family and his fur babies. He enjoyed talking about life and having deep meaningful conversations with people.
He would write poetry to express himself. Here is an excerpt from one of his many poems. "Tears that fall from deadened eyes, by the evil deeds of man. Years unfold in stories told, of sights never seen again. An old man's sigh of days gone by, the years lost in short space, The yearning of the young at heart who cannot run the race. Within the mind of man & beast the spark of life does lie, But man is above the beast and just the beast shall die. Within the dreams, that neither realm the place that knows No time, that inner fabric of the self, reflecting on the mind. Images of hopes and fears and things we'll never know, of mellow Undertones that show which way to go. Of silver ships on plasmic Seas viewed beneath the infra-red, cool colors form from Deep within my head. As could it be? No that's far out, though it may be food for thought, that the energy of life we fear the power Ever sought. Comes from somewhere outside the self-outside the space and Time, and only portions, fragments bend conforming to the mind. Might it be we're not alone the dove, the dog, and I, and perhaps we're one in Part for we all possess the eye. Each knows the self, of them and pain and How to reproduce, the awareness of the self, the self we've learned to use. So possibly the distance spanned in evolutions time, may not be so Great in that it differs in the mind. Behold the truth of knowledge fair And judge not the unjust, within the heart of every soul is a living part of us…"
He would eat anything his daughter would cook for him and he loved sweets. From Rocky Road Ice Cream to Sour Cream Raisin Pie. He was always listening to music, he loved music. Anything from Waylon Jennings, Loretta Lynn, Willie Nelson, Patsy Cline, Conway Twitty, Neil Diamond, George Jones, Merle Haggard, Ozzy, Gun's n' Roses, Johnny Cash, Juice Newton and so many more.
He had a vast collection of cassette tapes and CDs. Luke thoroughly enjoyed mixed martial arts and all the techniques that went into MMA. He liked playing sports more than watching them unless of course it was the Vikings playing, then he would sit and watch his football.
Luke was willing to do anything he could and had many professions. He really was a jack of all trades. He worked as a park ranger for the Alaska State Parks. One job in particular he really loved was working in Fairbanks for Alaska Waste. He said one man's trash is another man's treasure and he found a lot of treasures. He worked with his daughter at Fred Meyers in the Health and Food departments. He also enjoyed working construction jobs. Had many side jobs helping people out. He worked as a cook at Fort Greely in the DFAC. His last job was working at the local IGA food cache in Delta Junction.
Luke's favorite places in the world: Hiking in Slide Rock at Oak Creek Canyon, Cocoa Falls, and Bell Rock in Arizona. He loved going to the many rivers in Alaska, especially the Gerstle and Clearwater Rivers. He enjoyed being by the water and rock hunting. He always said Alaska was his home!
His favorite thing to do was to get outside, go for a walk, and just enjoy life.
Luke never realized the impact he had on people's lives, but everyone knew he would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it. He had a heart of gold and wanted to help anyone in need. He was never judgmental or demeaning towards others.
Luke was a deep-thinking man and would talk to you about the bible any day of the week, he knew the book inside and out and loved to have discussions about it.
If you asked Luke what he was most proud, he would tell you he was most proud of his three children: David, Amanda and Loki.
The family will be holding a private ceremony. Later this summer the family would like to have a Celebration of Life for all his friends and family. Date, time, and location, to be determined.
Thank you to all those that have supported the Stenbak family during this difficult time.
In lieu of flowers, an account at Mt. McKinley bank "Luke Stenbak Memorial" has been set up to help his family.
Online condolences may be made to the family at Blanchardfh.com.